In both Iraq and Afghanistan, the US used economic sanctions to safeguard its interests and subject both countries to its demands. Given the devastating impacts on both Afghan and Iraqi civilians, many have argued that the hash sanctions should be lifted.
In a podcast with Khadija Benguenna, Professor Barakat examined current developments in US sanctions on Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as their humanitarian ramifications. The episode was podcasted in After Yesterday "Ba'd 'Amss" show on Aljazeera Podcasts.
Professor Sultan Barakat reviewed definitions on the economic sanctions in general, their causes, and effects. He also talked about the US embargo on Iraq in 1995, including the deterioration of the humanitarian situation due to economic crisis, which led to the "Oil-for-Food Programme" according to which Iraq was allowed to sell Petroleum to purchase humanitarian supplies.
As for Afghanistan, Professor Sultan Barakat discussed the issue of America's continuation of its sanction policies, through imposing economic sanctions, and preventing money circulation into Afghan banks. In order to put pressure on the Taliban, Washington has frozen about $9.5 billion in assets of the Afghan Central Bank.
Listen to the podcast here (in Arabic).